Inlay flooring construction



June 6, 1933. B. c. ROCKWELL INLAY FLOORING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 24, 1931 \ByIdCFbdreweAL, 7w H Patented June 1933 tmmit mms I BYRID c. ROCKWELL, F SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA INLAY mo nme jcoNs'rnUcrioN Application filed m 24, 1931. Serial No. 552,981.

. H between the interrelated edges of flooring 15 block or strip elements.

Additional objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The subject matter of this application is a continuation as to all common subject matter, of the invention disclosed in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,809,393 of June 9, 1931.

The herein disclosed embodiment of the invention constitutes the best means thus far developed for reducing the invention to practice, and it is to be understood that such modifications thereof are within the province of this disclosure as are not inconsistent with the scope of the invention as claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawing is afragmentary perspective of a section of marquetry flooring as constructed and laid in accord ance with the invention.

Figure'Q is a section through a flooring strip construction. V

Figure 3 is a similar section illustrating an alternative form of tongue strip.

Figure 4 is a similar section showing a further alternative form of tongue strip.

Figure 5 is a similar section of another embodiment of tongue strip structure.

The embodiment shown in Figure 1 is a pattern flooring made up of square flooring blocks laid upon a sub-flooring base 11.-

. proper positioning with respect tothe blocks block joint, illustrating a preferred tongue In the edge faces of each block 10 there is provided a continuousgroove 12 adapted to receive a tongue member on associated inlay joint strip means, hereinafter described,by which the flooring blocks are joined in laying a floor.

In laying pattern flooring such as -illus trated inFigure 1 the blocks 10 are disposed in edge to edge relation, their adjacent edges being joined by inlay tongue strips 13 and 14. The strips 13 are of random lengths While the strips 14 are out to standard size,

being all of the same length and correspond ing to one side of a floor block. These strips are identical" as to cross-sectional construction and differ only in lengthand end formation. The strips 14 are provided at each end with an undercut notch as shown in Figure 1 to facilitate interengagement and 10 and strips 13.

A preferred form of inlay tongue, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is made of two molding strips havingflat base portions 15 and lateral tongue ribs 16. The bases 15 are disposed in parallel relation and spaced apart by an intermediate strip 17 of inherently resilient material, the whole being unitediby glue or cementing composition to provide a unitary inlay tongue-with the resilient body 17 extending from one edge inwardly substantially two thirds the width of thetongue;, whichwidth equals thefthickness ofthe floor blocks.

In service the inlay tongue is interposed between adjacent floor blocks with the rib tongues 16 engaging in the blockgrooves12 in position" to dispose the "outer edge of the resilient body 17 at the top of the joint for finishing flush with the floor surface. Nails 18 are driven in place as shown to hold the inlay tongues and floor blocks in position.

In the alternativeformshown in Fig; 3 the structure is identical with that of the preferred form except-that one ofthe-mold ing strips 15 is cut away beneath its rib tongue 16, effecting conservation of material and providing increased expansion space. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the structure is the same as that of Figure 2 except that the resilient body 17 extends the full width of the strip.

The embodiment shown in Figure 5 utilizes molding strips 19 and 20 spaced by a resilient body 21. The strips carry block groove engaging tongues 22. In this form the width of strips 19 and 20 and resilient spacer 21 is the same but the strip 19 is of lesser thickness than strip in order to provide for a closer arrangement of the floor blocks, and the width of the inlay tongue unit is less than that of the preferred form in order to dispose the bottom of the unit above the sub-flooring when'in service.

The side strips 15, 19 and 2001 the inlay tongues are of woodwhich is preferably in contrast to that of the flooring blocks. The resilient spacer strips 17 and 21 arefof cork although rubber and fabric material, or any material possessing inherent-resiliency, may be employed.

In laying a flooring as shown, one of the long length random joint strips 13 is placed and a. series of the blocks 10 positioned thereagainst in tongue and groove engagement. The blocks are joined longitudinally of strip 13 by means of the short length joint strips 1 1 in which the under-notching of the ends 3 permits a ready positioning of the strips both in the block grooves and against the adjacent joint strips. The depth of the under-cut or recess at each end of the strips 14 equals the depth of the block grooves 12.

An inlay tongue joint as herein disclosed provides a composite strip having a resilient center which is compressible to allow for expansion of the flooring. Without such expansion allowance means pattern block and strip'floorings inevitably buckle and warp creating an uneven, unsightly and defective floor.

I claim: V 1. In an inlay woodfiooring having juxtaposed floor members provided with opposed grooves, an inlay tongue comprising rigid side members of wood formed to engage said grooves, and resilient means spacing said side members and connectedthereto to form .a unit.

, 2. In an inlay wood floor, the combination with a pair of floor members, of an expansion joint tongue comprising a composite body ofwooden side pieces having laterally 9 disposed ribs to engage the floor members and a strip of resilient material interposed between said side pieces. 3. An inlay tongue for wood flooring consisting of a pair of wooden molding strips having flat bases disposed in parallel spaced relation, a strip of resilient material adhesively secured between said flat bases and spacing the same, and floor member engaging means on the outer faces of said strips.

4. An inlay tongue for wood flooring comprising, a strip having tongued sides of rigid material, a central portion of resilient material uniting the sides as a unit, and the ends of said strip having under cut end opening recesses therein.

5. An inlay tongue for wood flooring comprising a split base member having oppositely and horizontally disposed edges adapted to engage the opposed grooves of: adjacent floor members and having an upwardly disposed longitudinal portion formed integral with said base portion and adapted to form surface contact-with the upper halves of the edges of engaged floor members, a pair of downwardly presented longitudinally disposed shoulders formed inte ral with said base portion and adapted to e' engaged by the lower halves of the edges of said floor members, and a core strip of resilient material permanently uniting the split portions of said base member.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

'BYRD C, ROCKWELL. I 

